The Easiest Way to Chop a Coconut Is to Freeze It First.
In terms of texture and flavor, dried coconut cannot touch fresh produce, but separating the meat from the shell can be tricky. Luckily, even if you just chill in the freezer overnight, the toughest things will pop up right away.
The video above shows everything in detail, but all you have to do is put the drupes in the freezer overnight and then chop them at the equator with the blunt side of the cleaver. Scrape off the frozen coconut water – I recommend storing it – and just peel off the shell. (It’s amazing how easy this is.) Now you can use the coconut meat however you see fit. (I’d probably bake a fresh coconut pie, but that’s just me.)
How to split a coconut | America’s Test Kitchen